Fabric dispenser

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for removing a flat strip of material from a flat strip of liner to which it is adhered and dispense the material under low and substantially constant outgoing tension irrespective of the velocity and acceleration of outgoing demand for the material, adhesiveness of the material, or diameter or width of a roll supply of same, characterized by a tensionestablishing, spring-urged member which senses changes in velocity of the outgoing material and feeds the change signal to a variable-speed transmission to vary its speed accordingly to synchronize material velocity approaching and leaving the springurged member which remains within a range of motion to maintain substantially constant tension. A liner stripping system is employed which varies the angle of wrap around a stripper roll which increases stripping force with increase in adhesiveness between the material and liner. A friction torque is also applied to a roll supply of the material and its liner which automatically varies with the change of weight resulting from reduction of diameter of the supply to maintain substantially constant tension in the material and liner leaving the supply and to prevent the supply from overruning during deceleration. One example of the use of the apparatus resides in feeding the outgoing material to a variable-demand device, such as a machine for applying cover material to a power transmission belt.

United States Patent 72] Inventor Frederick K. Floyd 2050 S. Madison, Denver, Colo. 80205 [21] Appl. No. 841,082

[22] Filed July 11,1969

[45] Patented Dec. 7,1971

[54] FABRIC DISPENSER 10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 242/673 R, 242/68.4, 242/753, 242/75.4, 242/755 [51] Int. Cl. B65h 17/02 [50] Field 01' Search 242/755, 75.3, 75.51, 75.44, 67.3, 67.2

Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant Examiner-Gregory A. Walters A homey-Sheridan, Ross and Burton ABSTRACT: Apparatus for removing a flat strip of material from a flat strip ofliner to which it is adhered and dispense the material under low and substantially constant outgoing tension irrespective of the velocity and acceleration of outgoing demand for the material, adhesiveness of the material, or diameter or width of a roll supply of same, characterized by a tension-establishing, spring-urged member which senses changes in velocity of the outgoing material and feeds the change signal to a variable-speed transmission to vary its speed accordingly to synchronize material velocity approaching and leaving the spring-urged member which remains within a range of motion to maintain substantially constant tension. A liner stripping system is employed which varies the angle of wrap around a stripper roll which increases stripping force with increase in adhesiveness between the material and liner. A friction torque is also applied to a roll supply of the material and its liner which automatically varies with the change of weight resulting from reduction of diameter of the supply to maintain substantially constant tension in the material and liner leaving the supply and to prevent the supply from overruning during deceleration. One example of the use of the apparatus resides in feeding the outgoing material to a variable-demand device, such as a machine for applying cover material to a power transmission belt.

"iii

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ATTORNEYS FABRIC DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the art of manufacture of an endless power transmission belt, it has long been the practice to provide it with a cover which serves to transmit the tensional driving force between the belt body and a pulley, the cover also forming the belt wearing surface. Thus, a V belt, for example, comprises three principal components which are the tension cords, the rubberlike body in which the cords are embedded, and the cover which surrounds the body. As is well known, the tension cords absorb the tensional force which exists in the driving run of the belt, which is transmitted through the body to the cover, the latter, in turn, transmitting it to the driven pulley.

In the fabrication of such a belt it is conventional practice to form the body to desired shape with the tension cords embedded in same, apply the cover, and then cure the body and cover in a suitable mold under pressure and elevated tempera ture which vulcanizes the formerly uncured rubber of the body and the uncured rubber in the cover, bonding these components together.

The cover material is usually a woven fabric having threads which extend angularly to its longitudinal direction which are impregnated with uncured rubber, this being generally referred to as bias-cut material or fabric. Since no threads lie parallel to the longitudinal direction of the material, it has little resistance against permanent deformation when tensioned in its longitudinal direction, that is, in a direction angularly to its threads. Thus, when unduly stretched, the material narrows in width, or necks down, destroying its dimensional integrity. To avoid this, various cover dispensers have been devised to feed the cover material to the belt-covering machine, while maintaining the tension in the cover material to a minimal value to thus retain its original dimensions. Thus, apparatus for performing the cover application generally comprises a dispenser for the cover material and a downstream belt-covering machine which rotates the belt circumferentially as the material is being fed from the dispenser to the belt. The downstream covering machine, where the cover is applied, is usually power driven and rapidly accelerated and decelerated and of necessity, must be stationary at the beginning and end of each belt-covering operation. If variable or excessive necking down of the material being dispensed is to be obviated, the tension in the outgoing material must be maintained substantially constant and preferably at a low value during periods of acceleration and deceleration as well as while operating at constant velocity of the outgoing material. The tension of the material at the output of the dispenser should be isolated from the higher tension required to strip the material from the liner and from the higher tension which exists in the material and adhered liner as it comes from the roll supply, the latter being higher by virtue of the tension or force required to accelerate the heavy roll supply. Also, due to the tendency of the roll supply to resist increase in velocity, or its inertia, this tension could be sufficient to break the liner. Conversely, during deceleration of demand from the roll supply it has a tendency to coast and thus overshoot, both of the conditions referred to obviously being undesirable.

The uncured cover material is generally in strip form of a desired width to wrap around the cross section of the belt body, usually with a small overlap of the material. The supply of cover material is conventionally in roll form with the convolutions disposed in an Archimedean spiral. Since the uncured material is tacky on at least one of its opposed surfaces, such surface has a strip or liner adhered to same which forms a barrier between the convolutions of the material and prevents them from adhering to each other. The liner, which may be fragile plastic or woven textile, is less stretchable than the material and may be stripped from the surface to which it is adhered. An analogous combination is well-known hollandcovered rubber insulating tape used for electrical insulation, the holland being adhered to the tacky side of the tape, after removal of which the tape may be permanently stretched or necked to smaller dimensions, particularly in width. Since the adhering force between the cover material and its covering liner may vary due to the tackiness of the cover material, its temperature, humidity or age, and the weight and hence inertia of the roll supply decreases as it is consumed, these variables present further problems in maintaining the desired constant tension of the cover material between the dispenser and belt-covering machine, sometimes referred to as a beltflipping device.

The patent to Floyd, U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,018, discloses a power transmission which is of the infinitely variable-speed type, the output speed and direction of which is controlled by rotation of its speed control shaft. It is further characterized in that its output speed can be very rapidly changed and the energy and torque required by the speed control shaft to effect the change is minimal. The patent to Floyd, U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,982, discloses a similar power transmission embodying certain refinements and improvements. In both of these patents various general applications of use are suggested. The present invention is a specific application of use for a transmission of this type; however, it is to be understood that other transmissions may be employed provided they have the control and response requisite for the present invention. These patents are thus referred to only because such transmissions have been perfected for their intended uses and are readily available and, as will subsequently appear, form per se no part of the present invention but, on the contrary, form merely broad examples of a transmission which will serve the purpose of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general problems confronted in the art involved having been summarized, the present invention provides improvements upon same which novelly perform, or better perform, certain operational functions including the following and which are among its principal objectives:

a. Maintenance of tension on cover material being fed to covering machine substantially unaffected by change of supply roll weight, adhesiveness of cover material to liner, or feed velocity, or its feed acceleration,

b. Release of tension on cover material when severed and prevention of reverse winding of same,

c. Separation of liner from cover material with minimum force,

d. Accommodation of wide range of type of covering material, material width, degree of adhesiveness of same,

e. Elimination of operator adjustments which require judgment or experimentation,

f. Adaptability to process other than covering of belts involving liner backed materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the subject of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation as viewed in the direction of arrow 2, FIG. 1 portions being omitted and other portions broken away.

FIG. 3 is a partial rear elevation as viewed in the direction of arrow 3, FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 44, FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5, FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail of FIG. 1 illustrating a possible, but generally abnormal operating condition; and

FIG. 6a is a like detail illustrating other more normal operation conditions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, and first to FIG. 1, the subject of the invention comprises, in general, an I-beam frame 10, a roll supply 12 supported for rotation on plate 13 affixed to frame 10, an idler roll 14, a power-driven liner stripper roll 16, and a pair of power-driven liner windup rolls 18, 20 upon which frictionally rests a spool windup 22, rotatably supported by a carriage 24 which is mounted for vertical slidable movement along the frame in suitable machine guides 25, best shown in FIG. 4, which also provide lateral floating movement. In the operation of the structure so far described, the cover material 26 with its adhered liner 28 is fed from the roll supply 12 and under idler roll 14. At some variable locus 30 between idler roll 14 and stripper roll 16 cover material 26 is separated or stripped from liner 28 and the liner is fed around windup roll 18 and thence onto liner windup roll 22. The cover material 26 stripped from the liner, passes beneath stripper roll 16 and thence to certain control mechanism which will now be generally described.

Cover material 26, as it is fed from roll 16, passes around an idler roll 32, rotatably supported the frame, thence around an idler roll 34 carried by an arm 36 and thence around another idler roll 38, rotatably supported by the frame. After leaving idler roll 38 the cover material 260 is fed to a conventional cover wrapping machine 40 or other strip material demand. Ann 36 is secured to the frame by a pivot pin or bearing 42, its left end being connected by a link 44 to a control arm 45 secured to the speed control shaft of a variable-speed transmission 46, a spring 48 being connected at one end to the arm at variable notched positions 49 between the pivot and idler roll 34 carried by its outer right end. Suitable stops 50, 52 are provided on the frame to limit the angular movement of the am about its pivot. The general construction and operation of the apparatus having been described, certain details of same and their more specific purposes will now be set forth.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, power output shaft 54 is connected through an overrunning clutch 56 to a pulley 58 which drives a shaft 60 by a V-belt 62. Shaft 60 is joumaled in frame and carries windup roll 20. A cog-type belt 64 connects shaft 60 to shaft 66, which joumally supports windup roll 18, and shaft 68 to which stripper roll 16 is aflixed. Shafts 60, 66 and 68 are driven in synchronism and the pulleys, or the rolls driven by same, are so proportioned in size to rotate takeup rolls 18, at the same peripheral speed and stripper roll 16 at a peripheral speed somewhat in excess of that of the takeup rolls. The variable-speed transmission 46 is driven by an electric motor 70, a speed reducer 72, if employed, being driven by the variable-speed transmission. The motor may continuously operate and the output shaft 54 may be rotated between zero speed and variable speeds upon command of the speed control 45 of the variable-speed transmission.

Referring now to FIG. 5, supply 12 is of conventional form comprising a tubular hub 74 about which the material is spirally wrapped. One end of its central aperture engages a frustoconical member 76 disposed on threaded shaft or arbor 78 and a frustoconical member 80 engages the opposite end, member 80 being axially slidable on the shaft and secured in desired position by a knurled nut 82. As will be apparent, shaft 78 may support supplies of various widths, the frustoconical members centering same with respect to the shaft axis. An enlarged cylindrical drum-shaped metallic member 84 is afiixed to the shaft and joumaled concentrically within a cylindrical bore 86 in a metallic sleeve 88 affixed to plate 13 on frame 10, an annular sleeve 87 being disposed between bore 86 and member 84. Metallic flanges 92 and 94 are also secured to member 84 which engage axial thrust washers 96, 96 disposed between each flange and an end face of sleeve 88. Sleeve 87 and thrust washers 96, 96 may be of any material which provides a desired frictional coeflicient, Rulon having been found to yield satisfactory results. This material is a dry bearing material containing teflon and supplied by the Dixon Corporation of Bristol, Rhode Island. The construction just described provides a retarding torque to the roll supply which varies in magnitude as the diameter or width and hence weight of the supply is varied. For example, and assuming a supply of predetermined width and diameter when the spool supply is full, it has maximum weight, maximum unit pressure on the frictional surfaces and minimum angular velocity. When it is near empty it has minimum weight, maximum angular velocity and minimum unit pressure on the frictional surfaces. These variables tend to be self-compensating during change of supply diameter to provide torque resistance as needed to prevent overrunning during acceleration and at the same time eliminate excessive tension in liner material 280 during periods of acceleration. As will be further apparent, if the width is increased over that just described, inertia effects are increased but the torque is also increased in like proportion, thus compensating for variations in width of the material.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in the operation of the apparatus preparatory to performing a belt-covering operation, the operator hooks the upper end of spring 48 into a notch 49 on arm 36, the calibration of which corresponds to the width of the material on supply 12. This is the sole adjustment required and provides the minimum tension at which this particular width of material may reliably be dispensed without malfunction.

OPERATION Tension in the outgoing material at 260 is determined solely by the downward force of roller 34 on strands 26c and 26b by virtue of: the weight of the material in variable strand lengths, 26c and 26b, being small; and rollers 34 and 38 being equipped with antifriction bearings. Thus, the outgoing tension is preestablished, or programmed, by spring 48 and its upper setting in notches 49. Further, the tension at 26c and 26b and thus at 26a varies little for a given notch setting regardless of angular position of arm 36 between its limits of travel since the spring, being deep or soft, changes its force little with varying deflection and also due to the fact that the relative angular orientation of strands 26b, 26c and the spring axis varies little with movement of arm 36. Additionally, the friction force required to move lever 45 on the variable speed transmission 46 is small so that the downward force of roller 34 is relatively unaffected by movement of the arm 36 and lever 45.

The tension arm rises and falls, as will subsequently appear, in response to the output velocity demanded of the dispenser. Thus, the outgoing tension at 26a remains constant regardless of outgoing velocity. Furthermore, spring 48, am 36, and rol- I818 34 and 38 are light in weight to have small masses and moments of inertia so that as the rollers are accelerated or decelerated and the arm is accelerated upward or decelerated downward in response to changing velocity demand at 26a, only small inertia forces are present to modify the preestablished value of tension setting previously referred to and thus tension remains substantially constant even though rates of outgoing acceleration and deceleration are high. The capability of arm 36 and spring 48 to establish and maintain constant tension at 26a is dependent also upon its remaining inside its range of free motion without abutting the upper or lower stops 50, 52 which are necessary only to limit the excursion of the variable-speed drive's internal control mechanism and tension control is lost if the arm abuts either stop. The operation of the velocity-synchronizing system now follows which will reveal that the arm never reaches either stop while strand 26a is in motion or being accelerated or decelerated.

The combination of arm 36 and roller 34 is not only a tension-establishing device but also velocity differential. The arm rises if outgoing demand velocity at 26a is greater than incoming velocity at 26c and lowers if the velocity is less. Thus velocity of the arm up or down is a measure of the velocity difference between strand 26c and strands 26a and 26b. The tensioning arm 36, being connected to the speed control shaft of the variable speed transmission through link 44 and arm 45, automatically increases or decreases the velocity of strand 26-28 and hence the velocity of strands 26a and 26c until strand velocity 26c is exactly equal to strand velocity at 26b and 26a, at which time arm 36 comes to rest at some position between the zero speed position and maximum speed position corresponding to the outgoing demand velocity. The upper stop 50 is located above the position corresponding to maximum anticipated demand velocity and the lower stop 52 is located below the position corresponding to zero velocity, that is, in the reverse rotation range of transmission 46 so that in normal operation the arm never reaches either stop, and thus the tensioning arm has free play to establish tension as recited above under all operating conditions. By the proper choice of 5 variable-speed drive characteristics, gearing ratios and sensitivity of the control system as related to the moment of inertia of the roll supply and other factors, in accordance with practice known in the art of feedback control, the velocitysynchronizing system is preferably made to have a damping factor in excess of l which precludes system oscillations and thereby prevents the arm 36 from overshooting and abutting either stop even during very rapid starts or stops of the outgoing material.

A further advantage of the velocity-synchronizing system is that accelerations and decelerations occurring at 26-28 are substantially less than those present at 26a during rapid starts and stops of outgoing material. This is because the variable storage lengths at strands 26b and 26c, together with system delay action common to such feedback systems, attenuates the response to rapid input velocity changes of short duration as is well known in the art of feedback control. As a result of this attenuation of outgoing acceleration and deceleration, the tension required at strands 26-28 and 28a to accelerate the mass alone of roll supply 12 is substantially less than would otherwise be present and thereby the danger of breaking or stretching strands 26-28 is mitigated. Furthermore, as a result of attenuated deceleration at strand 26-28, the amount of torque drag that must be imposed at the central axis of roll supply 112 to prevent it from overshooting and the development of undesirable slack in strand 26-28 during deceleration, is likewise diminished. Further significance of diminished torque drag being that it is, of necessity, present in like amount during acceleration which thereby adds to the tension even further than that recited above due to mass of the supply roll alone.

As previously stated, lower stop 52 is located below the arm 36 position corresponding to zero speed setting of the variable-speed drive. This is desirable to be certain that the transmission can, with a safety factor, control speed smoothly all the way to and from zero speed as the outgoing material is stopped and started. This is to say that the transmission, if capable of reverse rotation when the arm 36 is lowered below the zero speed position, would reverse, thereby objectionably unwinding the liner from roll 22 should the material beyond 26a be cut and released, thereby permitting arm 36 to rest against the lower stop 52. The overrunning clutch 56 which is capable of transmitting torque in only one direction of rotation prevents this from happening should the drive has reverse rotation capability which is the usual case of variable-speed drives capable of controlling speed smoothly all the way to zero speed.

it is now apparent that two separate but interconnected systems are involved. A third system will subsequently appear. First mentioned is the tension-establishing system in which the outgoing tension is programmed by the spring setting in notches 49. The tension by itself is not under feedback control. The second-mentioned system is the velocity-synchronizing system which is under feedback control the basic function of which is to keep the tension-establishing system within its functionable range of operation. The proper functioning of either system depends on the existence of errors in tension to make system corrections, although small tension variations do exist from reasons explained above.

As explained above, it is desirable to keep tension at 26-28 and at 28a sufficiently low to prevent stretching of the combined liner and fabric material or to prevent breakage of the liner at 28a should it be a fragile material; it is likewise desirable to maintain some level of tension to prevent slack from developing at 26-28; the incidence of either action being correspondingly most probable during periods of rapid acceleration and rapid deceleration of outgoing material at 26a. Thus, it is desirable to keep tension at 26-28 confined within the above two limits, the closeness of the limits being dependent mostly upon the strength and resistance to stretching of the liner 28a and the moment of inertia of the roll supply.

To accomplish the above objective, the roll supply 12 is supported by, and axially attached to, a combined shaft bearing and friction torque drag device as depicted in FIG. 5 and previously described in detail. The friction material in contact with the bearing shaft develops a resistive or retarding torque drag on the shaft and roll supply when strand 26-28 is pulled off the roll and the shaft thereby rotated, this torque generally being proportional to the weight of the roll and to the distance from the center of the drag bearing out to the center of gravity to the roll. The resulting tension in strand 26-28 under conditions of constant velocity of 26-28 is therefore and likewise proportional to the weight and overhang distance of the roll center of gravity. The resulting tension is also inversely proportional to the diameter or radius of the roll since the material tension at 26-28 acts at the radius of arm equal to one-half the roll diameter to overcome the stated rotation. and cause rotation. The roll supply radius diminishes as it is progressively consumed, thereby tending to increase the tension at 26-28; however, the supply roll diminishes also in weight thereby diminishing also the drag torque. The net effect is that tension at 26-28 automatically remains relatively constant as desired regardless of the diameter of the supply roll and there is no need for an operator to make any kind of compensating adjustments as the supply roll diminishes in order to maintain tension at 26-28 within functionable limits. Further, as a consequence of the general torque level being proportional to the radius of overhang distance from the bearing center, the created general torque level hence tension level at 26-28 is generally proportional to the width of the material in the supply roll since the overhang distance to the roll supply center of gravity increases with increased width of material. Thus, the ability of the material to withstand damage and breakage at 26-28 or at 28a is directly related to material width. Another, but perhaps less obvious advantage, is that when using supply rolls having greater moment of inertia by virtue of greater total weight caused by higher material density or material width for a given diameter, subsequently the generated level drag torque is likewise increased and which is desirable to decelerate the stated higher moment of inertia without overshoot during stopping in a given period of time, this action being automatic and advantageous since no operator experimentation or adjustments are necessary to prevent the development of objectionable slack at 26-28.

The third important system of the device is the liner stripping mechanism best understood by examining FIGS. 6 and 6a. As earlier explained, the surface of stripping roll 16 always rotates at some proportion faster than the surface of windup roll 18 and since the velocity of material at 26c and 26d is of necessity substantially equal to the velocity at the surface of roll 18, it follows that the surface of roll 16 is always rotating in a direction faster than the velocity of strands 26c or 26d, and slippage of 260 and 26d on the surface of roll 16 is always present except when the whole system is at rest. Also as previously explained, the strand tension at 26d is established solely by the combination of the tensioning arm 36 and spring 48. As is well known in the art of applying pulley belts or capstans, the tension generated in the incoming material by a driven pulley or capstan which is slipping with respect to the material contacting it, is equal to the tension on the outgoing side times E raised to an exponential quantity consisting of the coefficient of sliding friction of the material against the pulley times the angle of wrap in radians of the material around the pulley, the quantity E being equal to 2.718. As a consequence of this relationship the device functions as a tension amplifier in which the tension at 26c is in excess of tension 26d and wherein the tension at 2612 can become very many times larger than at 26d depending on the angle of wrap 0 and the coefficient of friction C, This amplification is desirable since usually the adhesiveness of fabric 26 on liner 28a is such that the tension required to pull the two apart is in excess of that tension desired at 26d which is equal to the tension at 260 where the fabric is delivered to the downstream process or machine. It is of further interest that due to the nature of adhesive materials usually being dispensed, that the short time duration of high tension required at 26e to separate very adhesive materials does not produce substantial permanent elongation of the material, the material having a memory urging it to return to its original length if the duration of stretch is short. Thus, the tension at 26e can be large to get the necessary stripping function accomplished without appreciable deformation of the material at 260. This is to say that the device can successfully cope with materials which are both very adhesive and very stretchy without substantial deformation of the output product.

Notwithstanding the above, it is desirable to keep tension at 26e at a value no greater than necessary to part the two strand materials. For a given amount of adhesiveness between the two strands, it is empirically known that the least required parting tension at 26e occurs when the angle between 28 and 26e is approximately amplification 90 or more. FIG. 6 shows parting point or locus 30 located essentially on the surface of roll 14 which condition exists only if the adhesiveness of the material 26 is negligible. In this situation the angle between 28 and 26e substantially less than 90, in this instance being of no consequence since angle 6 is very small and hence there being essentially no tension amplification of the low at 26d to create excessive tension at strand 260. FIG. 6a shows two conditions of substantial but different adhesiveness of material 26 which are the more normal conditions of operation. As adhesiveness is increased material 26 clings to liner 28 with the result that parting point 30 moves upward to position 30 at which locus the angle between 28 and 26e exceeds 90 which is the criteria for removal of the material 26 from the liner 28 with the least necessary force as earlier stated. As the parting point moves upward the wrap angle of the material 26 around stripper roll 16 also increases to thereby increasing the amplification of tension which exists in 26d, the amplification increasing exponentially, which is to say at a much higher rate than the wrap angle increases. The result of this action is that the parting point automatically comes to rest at wherein the tension in 26e is increased according to need but is no greater than required to part the material 26 from the liner 28. Should the adhesiveness of the material be even greater, the parting point moves automatically to a further point 30" with corresponding increase in wrap angle to 0" and increased tension at 26e according to need. A further of the stripping roll 16 is that usually as the adhesiveness of material 26 to liner 28 is increased so also is the coefficient of friction of material 26 against the surface of stripping roller 16, the coefiicient of friction also increasing the amplification of tension at 26e still further in an exponential manner as described earlier, thereby automatically increasing the capability, according to need, of developing the necessary tension in strand 26e to separate the two materials, this feature combined with variation in wrap angle according to need earlier described, providing self-regulating action without need of operator adjustment throughout a very wide range of material adhesiveness.

It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the exact embodiments of the attachment shown and described, which are merely by way of illustration and not apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the type adapted to remove a flat strip of material from a flat strip of liner to which it is adhered and dispense the material under substantially constant tension therein, irrespective of the velocity of demand for same, size of a roll supply, or degree of adhesiveness between the material and liner, comprising:

a. means for rotatably supporting a roll supply of the material and its adhered liner,

b. an idler roll about which the material and its liner are adapted to be trained,

c. a spaced downstream stripper roll about which the material is adapted to be trained with a variable angle of wrap about same,

the space between said rolls providing a variable stripping locus, depending upon the angle of wrap, the angle of wrap adapted to increase with increase of adhesiveness between the material and liner,

e. windup means for rotatably supporting a roll of liner,

said liner adapted to be fed from said locus to the roll of liner;

g. a power-driven variable-speed transmission operatively connected to said stripper roll and to said windup means adapted to rotate the stripper roll at a peripheral velocity in excess of the windup velocity of the liner;

h. means for supporting a limited supply of outgoing material disposed downstream of said stripper roll, including a movable feedback control member engaged by same and responsive to change in material velocity,

. control means for varying the speed of said transmission,

and

j. means for operating said control means in response to movement of said feedback control member.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably supporting said spool supply of material and its attached liner includes means for applying a retarding torque thereto to prevent inertia overrunning of same.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the torque retarding means comprises a friction bearing.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the friction bearing is so constructed to apply a torque approximately proportioned to the weight and/0r width of the roll supply.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for supporting said limited supply and said movable feedback control member includes a pivoted arm, a pair of idler rolls adapted to rotate about fixed axes, an idler roll affixed to said arm, the outgoing material adapted to be trained about said pair of idler rolls with a pair of runs disposed therebetween and having a bight portion, said bight portion engaging the idler roll on the arm, said runs providing a force tending to move said arm in one direction and forming said limited supply, and a spring for establishing the force of said runs, said spring providing a substantially constant force to said runs irrespective of the position of the arm, whereby a change in velocity in said runs moves said arm, and means connecting said arm and control means for moving the latter in response to movement of the former.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim I wherein said means for rotatably supporting a roll of liner comprises a pair of spaced takeup rolls, the rolls frictionally engaging the outermost convolution of the roll of liner, the variable-speed transmission being connected to at least rotation, of the takeup rolls.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the output of said variable-speed transmission is reversible, said means for operating said control means being movable through a range of anticipated normal forward rotation of the transmission and at least a portion of its reverse rotation, and an overrunning clutch connected to its output to prevent reverse rotation of its driven instrumentalities, whereby the transmission output may be rapidly brought to zero speed without reversely rotating its driven instrumentalities and backwinding the material output.

8. Liner stripping apparatus of the type adapted to strip a flat strip of material from a flat strip of liner to which it is adhered and illustration the material under substantially constant tension, comprising:

a. a supply of the material and its adhered liner,

b. an idler roll about which the material and its liner are adapted to be trained,

c. a spaced downstream stripper roll about which the material is adapted to be trained with a variable angle of wrap about same,

d. the space between said rolls providing a variable stripping locus, depending upon the angle of wrap, the angle of wrap adapted to increase with increase of force required to effect the stripping action,

e. windup means for rotatably supporting a roll of liner, the liner adapted to be fed from said locus to the roll of liner, and

f. power means for rotating the windup means and for rotating the stripper roll at a peripheral velocity in excess of the windup velocity of the roll of liner,

g. the construction being such that the constant tension in the outgoing material is multiplied at said locus exponentially in accordance with the angle of wrap about the stripper roll and is of a value only sufficient to effect the stripping action.

9. Velocity-synchronizing apparatus for a strip of material being dispensed at substantially constant tension, comprising:

a. a stripper roll about which the material is adapted to be trained,

b. a windup roll for receiving a liner removed from said material at a point upstream from the stripper roll,

c. a variable speed transmission operatively connected to the stripper roll and windup roll for moving both synchronously at variable speeds, and

d. means engaged by a limited supply of outgoing material being dispensed and responsive to a differential velocity of same, operatively connected to the transmission for varying its speed in accordance with said differential velocity.

10. In apparatus of the type adapted to remove a flat strip of material from a flat strip of liner to which it is adhered and dispense the material under substantially constant tension therein, irrespective of the velocity of demand for same, size of a roll supply, or degree of adhesiveness between the material and liner, comprising:

a. means for rotatably supporting a roll supply of the material and its adhered liner,

b. a spaced downstream stripper roll about which the material is adapted to be trained with a variable angle of wrap about same,

c. the space ahead of said stripper roll providing a variable stripping locus, depending upon the angle of wrap, the angle of wrap adapted to increase with increase of adhesiveness between the material and liner,

. windup means for rotatably supporting a roll of liner,

e. said liner adapted to be fed from said locus to the roll of liner,

. a power-driven, variable-speed transmission operatively connected to said stripper roll and to said windup means adapted to rotate the stripper roll at a peripheral velocity in excess of the windup velocity of the liner,

. means for supporting a limited supply of outgoing material disposed downstream of said stripper roll, including a movable feedback control member engaged by same and responsive to change in material velocity,

. control means for varying the speed of said transmission,

and

i. mean for operating said control means in response to movement of said feedback control member. 

1. In apparatus of the type adapted to remove a flat strip of material from a flat strip of liner to which it is adhered and dispense the material under substantially constant tension therein, irrespective of the velocity of demand for same, size of a roll supply, or degree of adhesiveness between the material and liner, comprising: a. means for rotatably supporting a roll supply of thE material and its adhered liner, b. an idler roll about which the material and its liner are adapted to be trained, c. a spaced downstream stripper roll about which the material is adapted to be trained with a variable angle of wrap about same, d. the space between said rolls providing a variable stripping locus, depending upon the angle of wrap, the angle of wrap adapted to increase with increase of adhesiveness between the material and liner, e. windup means for rotatably supporting a roll of liner, f. said liner adapted to be fed from said locus to the roll of liner, g. a power-driven variable-speed transmission operatively connected to said stripper roll and to said windup means adapted to rotate the stripper roll at a peripheral velocity in excess of the windup velocity of the liner, h. means for supporting a limited supply of outgoing material disposed downstream of said stripper roll, including a movable feedback control member engaged by same and responsive to change in material velocity, i. control means for varying the speed of said transmission, and j. means for operating said control means in response to movement of said feedback control member.
 2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably supporting said spool supply of material and its attached liner includes means for applying a retarding torque thereto to prevent inertia overrunning of same.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the torque retarding means comprises a friction bearing.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the friction bearing is so constructed to apply a torque approximately proportioned to the weight and/or width of the roll supply.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for supporting said limited supply and said movable feedback control member includes a pivoted arm, a pair of idler rolls adapted to rotate about fixed axes, an idler roll affixed to said arm, the outgoing material adapted to be trained about said pair of idler rolls with a pair of runs disposed therebetween and having a bight portion, said bight portion engaging the idler roll on the arm, said runs providing a force tending to move said arm in one direction and forming said limited supply, and a spring for establishing the force of said runs, said spring providing a substantially constant force to said runs irrespective of the position of the arm, whereby a change in velocity in said runs moves said arm, and means connecting said arm and control means for moving the latter in response to movement of the former.
 6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably supporting a roll of liner comprises a pair of spaced takeup rolls, the rolls frictionally engaging the outermost convolution of the roll of liner, the variable-speed transmission being connected to at least one of the takeup rolls.
 7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the output of said variable-speed transmission is reversible, said means for operating said control means being movable through a range of anticipated normal forward rotation of the transmission and at least a portion of its reverse rotation, and an overrunning clutch connected to its output to prevent reverse rotation of its driven instrumentalities, whereby the transmission output may be rapidly brought to zero speed without reversely rotating its driven instrumentalities and backwinding the material output.
 8. Liner stripping apparatus of the type adapted to strip a flat strip of material from a flat strip of liner to which it is adhered and dispense the material under substantially constant tension, comprising: a. a supply of the material and its adhered liner, b. an idler roll about which the material and its liner are adapted to be trained, c. a spaced downstream stripper roll about which the material is adapted to be trained with a variable angle of wrap about same, d. the space between said rolls providing a variable Stripping locus, depending upon the angle of wrap, the angle of wrap adapted to increase with increase of force required to effect the stripping action, e. windup means for rotatably supporting a roll of liner, the liner adapted to be fed from said locus to the roll of liner, and f. power means for rotating the windup means and for rotating the stripper roll at a peripheral velocity in excess of the windup velocity of the roll of liner, g. the construction being such that the constant tension in the outgoing material is multiplied at said locus exponentially in accordance with the angle of wrap about the stripper roll and is of a value only sufficient to effect the stripping action.
 9. Velocity-synchronizing apparatus for a strip of material being dispensed at substantially constant tension, comprising: a. a stripper roll about which the material is adapted to be trained, b. a wind-up roll for receiving a liner removed from said material at a point upstream from the stripper roll, c. a variable speed transmission operatively connected to the stripper roll and wind-up roll for moving both synchronously at variable speeds, and d. means engaged by a limited supply of outgoing material being dispensed and responsive to a differential velocity of same, operatively connected to the transmission for varying its speed in accordance with said differential velocity.
 10. In apparatus of the type adapted to remove a flat strip of material from a flat strip of liner to which it is adhered and dispense the material under substantially constant tension therein, irrespective of the velocity of demand for same, size of a roll supply, or degree of adhesiveness between the material and liner, comprising: a. means for rotatably supporting a roll supply of the material and its adhered liner, b. a spaced downstream stripper roll about which the material is adapted to be trained with a variable angle of wrap about same, c. the space ahead of said stripper roll providing a variable stripping locus, depending upon the angle of wrap, the angle of wrap adapted to increase with increase of adhesiveness between the material and liner, d. windup means for rotatably supporting a roll of liner, e. said liner adapted to be fed from said locus to the roll of liner, f. a power-driven, variable-speed transmission operatively connected to said stripper roll and to said windup means adapted to rotate the stripper roll at a peripheral velocity in excess of the windup velocity of the liner, g. means for supporting a limited supply of outgoing material disposed downstream of said stripper roll, including a movable feedback control member engaged by same and responsive to change in material velocity, h. control means for varying the speed of said transmission, and i. mean for operating said control means in response to movement of said feedback control member. 